This article is bound to provoke strong reactions, so let’s not waste any time angering the masses. Joe Rogan’s stand-up comedy is not very good. Some could argue that it’s objectively awful.
For those in doubt, feel free to check out his latest Netflix special, “Burn the Boats.” After a six-year hiatus, following 2018’s “Strange Times,” itself an underwhelming affair, “Burn the Boats” was highly anticipated. Rogan spent four years preparing for this moment, even opening his own comedy club in Austin to refine his material.
Consider the output of Rogan’s close friends — Mark Normand, Shane Gillis, and Tony Hinchcliffe. Watching them perform feels like seeing a fleet of F1 cars zoom by while an old Lada stutters along in the background.
Unfortunately, the special fails to live up to expectations, leaving fans and critics alike questioning whether Rogan has lost his comedic edge entirely — or if he ever had one to begin with.
Old jokes
One of the most glaring issues with “Burn the Boats” is Rogan’s reliance on old material and tired jokes. For a comedian of his stature, all these years of preparation should have resulted in fresh, original content. Instead, the special feels like a retread of his past work, with recycled jokes and premises that longtime fans have already heard.
This includes a masturbation joke that Rogan first told in his 2010 special, “Talking Monkeys in Space.” Repeating old content is considered a cardinal sin in comedy, yet Rogan shamelessly resorts to it, betraying the trust of his audience. For a comedian with his reputation, this laziness is inexcusable.
To be clear, the 57-year-old is a phenomenal podcaster, a skilled interviewer, and an affable personality who can engage with a wide range of guests, from UFC fighters to philosophers. However, the qualities that make him a great podcaster do not translate to stand-up comedy.
The sad reality is that Rogan is not a great comic; he’s not even a good one. In “Burn the Boats” he attempts to make up for his lack of content by shouting and making weird faces, but these antics only serve to highlight the weakness of his material.
‘Meathead nonsense’
Rogan recently angered many of his fans by essentially endorsing RFK Jr. and praising a speech by Kamala Harris. While Rogan is certainly entitled to his own political opinions, his latest special risks alienating not just his fan base but also comedy purists in general. “Burn the Boats” has effectively burned Rogan’s credibility as a comedian. With an IMDb rating of just 4.8, the special has been met with brutal — and accurate — criticism from viewers.
One disgruntled viewer expressed frustration: “You expect a certain amount of meathead nonsense and conspiracy talk which may or may not be genuine. But the thing I’ve always found grating has now become a constant in this show: yelling everything as though he doesn’t have a microphone.”
Another viewer echoed this sentiment: “‘Burn the Boats’ … is a colossal disappointment. The performance is plagued by excessive yelling and exaggerated expressions, which quickly become tiresome.”
But all is not lost. Rogan still has at least one high-profile fan. Adam Sandler recently appeared on “The Joe Rogan Experience” and lauded the special.
However, it’s important to note that the Brooklyn-born banterer is an actor — and a very good one at that. The manner in which he praised Rogan as a comic — without actually laughing — was so convincing that it was almost Oscar-worthy. Sandler’s commendation felt more like a courtesy nod to a fellow entertainer than a genuine endorsement of Rogan’s comedic abilities.
Movieweb aptly labeled the special a “boring showcase for the Dunning-Kruger effect,” and frankly, it’s hard to argue with that assessment. The whole affair felt like a master class in how not to be self-aware. Rogan stumbled through jokes that landed with the thud of a bad Yelp (or IMDb) review.
Sycophant psych-out
In stark contrast, consider the output of Rogan’s close friends — Mark Normand, Shane Gillis, and Tony Hinchcliffe — all comedic powerhouses in their own right. Watching them perform feels like seeing a fleet of F1 cars zoom by while an old Lada stutters along in the background. The contrast in speed, skill, and sheer entertainment is undeniable. Normand’s rapid-fire wit, Gillis’s razor-sharp observations, and Hinchcliffe’s caustic jabs only serve to accentuate Rogan’s deficiencies.
Jay Mohr, another stand-up comic renowned for his comedic dexterity, astutely observed that Rogan is surrounded by sycophants — individuals who either lack the courage or are too eager to perform at his comedy club to tell him when he’s missing the mark. One can’t help but think this insular, emperor’s-new-clothes bubble of adulation has allowed Rogan’s ego to inflate unchecked, leading to audience frustration and scathing reviews.
As far as comedy goes, I am no longer interested in buying what he’s selling. The ship has sailed, and that boat has been thoroughly burned. Joe Rogan is talented, but he’s certainly not funny.
